Thunderbird Turbo Coupe owner with a question about Ranger 2.3L radiator fan ???

[joenorthcarolina]

Hello everyone that took the time to look at this thread. I dont have a Ranger and I cant seem to find a picture of a belt driven radiator fan for the Ranger 2.3 so I'm asking the experts here. My Ford T-Bird 2.3 Turbo came with dual electric fans and its running hot after a 3 row aluminum radiator install , new dual electric fans, and a new 180 degree thermostate. I read that the fuel mixture could be causing the over heating problem so I'm going to take a look into that further but at this time I'm wanting to install a belt driven radiator fan just because I like the security it provides by running non-stop without drainning my battery. So, if someone could just tell me if the Ranger 2.3 ever came with a belt driven (clock wise) radiatior fan that would be great. Thanks guys

Oh yeah, you guys quit chopping up the T-birds for the turbo parts

 

[scotts90ranger]

but they fit so well in rangers I have a turbo engine in mine... engine was already out of the car when I got it though.

yes, all ranger 2.3's came with a clutch fan ran off of the water pump, it's a tiny little guy and I don't know if you would have enough room between the engine and radiator, and from what you say you would need a schroud, and the rangers never really got a real schroud around the fan from what I've seen, more of a shield to keep your fingers out of the fan... the T bird radiators are a lot wider than ranger radiators too.

if you are overheating, timing can play a big part in engine temperature so that would be something to look at, I have had several fuel problems with my turbo engine and my only overheating issue is going up steep grades when my engine compartment is super hot and I'm sucking in that hot air right next to the turbo... I need to fix that

 

[AllanD]

Ok, All 2.3's use a "normal rotation" fan, so any 2.3/2.5 "Lima" engine
Ranger mechanical fan will mount to your water pump pulley.

But I'll comment that another upgrade you can rob off of a 2.3 Ranger
is the Multi-V pulleys... but this is only of value to you if you don't
have an '87-88 Turbocoupe, which already have multiV belts

When I say "multi-V" I'm refering to a FLAT belt, as opposed to a V-belt

Technically speaking it's only a "Serpentine" belt if it reverse wraps
around one or more pulleys.

AD

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

You need to find out whats causing the overheating prob. Whether it be scale in the block causing heat tranfer probs, water pump not circulating properly, air flow blockage through the rad, or running lean and even cam timing, or even a seeping head gasket. When is it overheating, what type of operating conditions, and how long does it take?

 

[joenorthcarolina]

mentalbreakdown00....it overheats at various times. I can drive it and it runs cool for a long road trip on the interstate but sometimes it runs moderatly hot the whole trip on the interstate. For instance, today I went to pick up some parts about 30 miles. I was running on the interstate at 65-70 mph. The temp was slightly high then dropped down instantly to normal operating temp. I then got to the back roads where the speed limit droped and I had to make several stops and turns. I then experiance overheating, enouph to boil the overflow. While picking up my parts I asked this shade tree mechanic from whom I was purchasing the parts from to set my timing. He never even checked the timing before turning the bolt on the distributor and so we ended up setting the timing to 10 degrees. Well on the way home it seemed to be weaker and run a bit rough but not horrible. I took the same route and the same issue occured, normal to moderately high temp until stop and go traffic at the average speed of 45 I experianced overheating and boiling. My converter was smoking this time. I did notice some white scale on the overflow outlet on the new radiator today. In the past couple of weeks when I first installed the new radiator I was seeing a small amount of copper or brass floating on the top of the water. You gave me a idea, maybe I can flush the block or something? I'm also installing a new converter next week. Thanks for responding

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

If the converter was running red hot, you have a air/ fuel mixture problem sounds like. I would do what's called a block test go to a good parts store and ask for a block test kit. You read the instructions to it, and if the fluid in the tester turns yellow you have a blown head gasket, or even a cracked head (2.3's are known for this also). When you set the timing did you unplug the spout connector? If not your timing will be set a pretty good ways off. One other question, is this thing stock, or has it been played with? The reason I ask is on my 2.3 I had in my stang, I had to install a high flow water pump, and underdrive pulleys to keep it cool enough, even after only a few modifications......

 

[feellnfroggy]

I would check your tempurature sensor, the fans prolly arent kicking on as often as they should. If there is an electronic intermittent problem then you will have intermittenly working fans which might as well be nothing. By the way alot of people swap to the electric fans, your prolly better off keeping them. If you cant figur out what the problem is then direct wire them to a switch, turn them on below 40 MPH. It worked on all my 2.3 mustangs.

 

[Bogdon]

I would check the direction of the fans. Are you sure the fans are wired correctly. They should pull air from the front of the car to the rear of the car. If it is wired backwards it would cause an overheating situation cause it is not pullin gair through the radiator.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

What are you reading temperature off of? The stock gauge? Those are notorius for going out, you may want to check that.

P.S.-> I took my TC engine out of a wrecked one from the junk yard that had a junk title, so no hard feelings.

 

[joenorthcarolina]

All stock !
I did unplug the spout when setting the timing!
Fans are pulling air the correct way!
I think the head gasket is ok?
No loss of water from the radiator!
No steam coming from the exhaust!
I am installing a hollow Cat. Converter so I'll see what that does?
I'm going to change the fuel filter
I'm going to try cleaning the fuel injectors
I may even install a new fuel pump?
Also maybe installing a new O2 sensor?

NO RANGERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS THREAD!

 

[scotts90ranger]

how new is the thermostat? before throwing expensive parts at it, throw cheap parts that might be the problem at it... it's pretty easy to accidentally screw up putting one in (guilty)

 

[feellnfroggy]

A hollow cat is the same as no cat. It just maintains visual smog appearances, performance wise I dont know if it will hurt anything or not. The newer motors have a MIL sensor behind the O2 sensor, (same sensor, different job) if you lose the cats or gut them the o2's are no big deal and can be fooled into working properly anyways. But the mil's tell the e ngine that too much o2 is not being burnt (cuz of lack of cats) creating a lean reading and then it adds more fuel and the car runs rich. The older 5.0 cars ran really well when the cats were gutted and tuning wasnt near as big as it is now. The turbo 4 bangers will run on the same principle.

I would do everything you said, excpet gutting the cat. I would hold off for a lil longer on that. When you say it got hot on backroads, with lower speeds and stop and goes. That sounds alot liek I mentioned earlier, the fans arent kicking on likethey are supposed to.

Have you squeezed your 2 inch rad hoses? Have they collapsed? Try adding new rad hoses too.

One last option, where is the turbo mounted? On the higway the turbo runs at a constant speed and maintains a constant temp, however at lower speeds like backroads the rpm's are always shifting and the workload of the turbo is changing, increasing decreasing. if the turbo is mounted too close to teh rad hoses or the radiatior itself then its most likely heating the rad. You have a new aluminum radiatio which dissipates heat alot easier, it also absorbs heat alot easier whch would work against itself if your spool si too close to it.

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

Ok, joe, you are at a guessing game. I do agree with the last couple posts though about throwing a t-stat at it and checking the hoses. Now to check a head gasket get whats called a block test kit and use it, but with your cat glowing red either you have a bad air/ fuel problem, or it had one at one point and clogged the cat up, which having a restricted exhaust can cause an overheat problem, but i've only seen it once.

 

[feellnfroggy]

I read through a couple times, I dont see wher he said it was Glowing red hot. I did see hwere he said it was smoking, but that was after the mechanic adjusted the timing.